In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,150,946 and 3,345,147 fin coolers are described for use in cooling fiber glass forming bushings for the manufacture of glass fibers. In both of these patents the patentee discusses the utilization of fin cooler assemblies which are utilized below the orifices through which the glass fibers are attenuated in a glass fiber forming operation. The fin coolers are distinguished by the fact that the fins constructed to be placed between the orifices or rows of orifices of the fiber glass bushing are constructed of a wire mesh material so that air can be blown from a central manifold through each of the fins and exit through the fins to cool the glass cones and thus control the fiber forming operation. Generally speaking, in modern fiber glass manufacturing fin coolers are employed which are made out of solid plates, which are mounted on a manifold similar to that shown in the aforesaid patents and through which a cooling fluid such as water flows thereby removing heat absorbed by the fins by indirect heat exchange. Fin coolers of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,036. The wire mesh fins mentioned above utilize instead of indirect heat exchange a fluid such as air or other gaseous substance to accomplish cooling. Thus, air is passed through the fins and removes the heat from the surface of the fins and the glass cones and filaments in a downward fashion from the forming area of the bushing to a location below the bushing, thus eliminating the need for the passage of substantial quantities of liquid cooling fluid utilized in those instances where solid fins are employed and indirect heat exchange is utilized to remove heat.
One of the problems associated with the air fins shown in the prior art patents mentioned above is the fact that in the formation of the fin itself, considerable distortion of the apertures provided by the wire mesh from which the fins are constructed occurs when the wire mesh is bent to form the generally flat tubular fin structures shown in the patents. This is caused by the fact that the wire mesh from which the fin is constructed is a woven material. In the bending of the material the wires move causing areas where substantial flexing of the wire mesh screen has occurred, for example, at the top of the fins, to close or to open. This causes the apertures to be small in some areas, large in others and thus prevents a uniform distribution of the gaseous material exiting the fin. Thus, while the concept is viable in providing a cooling gas such as air or other inert gas as a medium to cool the glass fibers as they are attenuated from the orifices which are adjacent to the fin, nonuniformity of air flow and in some instances lack of air flow in a given area results in uneven cooling and nonuniformity of the operation.